Red powders called kamala, which are obtained from minute glands and hairs on the skins of fruits of Mallotus philippinensis produced in India, Philippines, Southeast Asia, and Australia, are used as a taeniafuge or dyestuff and said to contain rottlerin, which is a phloroglucinol derivative, as an active ingredient (Pharmacognosy, Nankodo, 1966).
As to the extraction of a dye from Mallotus philippinensis, a method of extraction by heating with 100% ethyl alcohol is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. S47-43268, and a method of extraction with water, a hydrophilic organic solvent or a mixture solution thereof at room temperature or at a solvent boiling point or lower is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-146837. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-55369 discloses that a phloroglucinol derivative was purified by performing water and/or organic solvent extraction and further performing n-hexane extraction, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and silica gel chromatography. Drummondins, which are phloroglucinol derivatives having antimicrobial activity to Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, have been isolated from Hypericum drummondii belonging to the family of Guttiferae (Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 52, No. 2, p. 325-331, 1989). These substances have also been purified from hexane extracts of the leaves and stems of the plant.
According to these disclosed results, kamala dyes or phloroglucinol derivatives are extracted with 100% ethyl alcohol or with n-hexane, a low-polarity solvent. Thus, a dye component rottlerin is rich in lipid solubility, and was difficult to apply to drinks since an emulsifier or the like needs to be used to disperse the dye in the drinks. At the site of producing the dye component, the component causes the staining of pipes therewith, the adsorption thereof into filters, and so on, due to its high lipid solubility; and therefore requires undue labor for washing.
[Patent Document 1]: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. S47-43268
[Patent Document 2]: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-146837
[Patent Document 3]: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-55369
[Non-Patent Document 1]: “Pharmacognosy”, Nankodo, p. 169, 1966
[Non-Patent Document 2]: Journal of Natural Products, Vol. 52, No. 2, p. 325-331, 1989